How to make the “About” section of your Facebook page worth reading

The most commonly shared event on Facebook in 2013 was a new relationship, engagement or marriage.

Number two on the list? Travel.

Facebook users love to share their travel experiences, which makes their friends start dreaming of a vacation – even if they’re not planning one. If you’re fortunate enough to attract these dreamers to your Facebook page, are you prepared to take advantage of this opportunity?

Much of the emphasis on a Facebook page is on the cover photo. After all, photos tell the travel story as well as words, and the cover photo is the first thing visitors see on your Facebook page.

So that big photo gets their attention. But what are you saying to keep visitors’ attention and motivate them to find out more about your company?

Your “About” section starts in the area just below your profile picture and company name.

And it may well end there if you don’t take advantage of this valuable real estate.

The first line will show your business category, such as “Travel/Leisure.” Below your business category is space for you to describe your company. This content comes from the “Short Description” field of the “About” section.

This is a fairly small space, but as long as you cut the fat and economize your words, you should be able to include a brief statement about what you do or the results you deliver to your customers, as well as a call-to-action and a link to your website.

If you’re running a contest or publishing blog posts, this a great place to promote these features. You don’t need to include your phone number and your email address because people can find those details on your website or by clicking “About” underneath your description. Give visitors a compelling reason to contact you and they’ll seek out your contact information.

Everything you say about your brand should be said in the context of how your brand can solve a customer problem, fill a customer need or make a customer’s life better.

In other words, don’t waste the space underneath your profile picture and company name with your years of experience, or empty marketing clichés like “best service” and “friendly staff.” Nobody cares.

Make it about the customer, not yourself or your brand.

Inside Tip: Facebook changes its settings regularly, so you could end up writing more content than will be allowed to appear in this space. For example, you can write four lines of content in the “Short Description” field, but only three lines may appear on the front page.

If this is the case, shorten your content. Otherwise, your content may get cut off mid-sentence, or important information may get pushed from the front page. And it looks bad.

Keep all content in the “About” section clear, concise and relevant to your target audience.

When you click “About” underneath this section, you’ll be able to provide more detailed information about your company.

Many Facebook page owners fill in every field or try to replicate their website content. They just end up with a big mess of words that nobody will ever read.

You may not need to fill out the fields for “Short Description,” “Long Description,” “General Information” and “Mission.” Only add content if you’re providing information that may increase the chance that someone will want to do business with you.

Don’t list your company founders just because there’s a space for it – unless you think your customers really care who the founders are.

Along those same lines, a list of awards is useless unless you can convey how each award is relevant to your customers. Awards are for hanging on the walls of your office, not for cluttering up your Facebook page.

This is social media, not a website or a newspaper ad.

People don’t go to Facebook because they’re dying to spend money with a company that has a Facebook page.

People love to share their experiences and share in the experiences of others, especially when it comes to travel. Use the “About” section of your Facebook page to sell the experience first and your company second.

Focusing on the wants and needs of the customer, paying attention to the little details, and using clear, concise messaging will make the “About” section of your Facebook page worth reading – and help you convert fans and visitors into customers.

Scott McKelvey helps companies build trust, establish expertise and grow revenue by developing marketing messages that focus on the needs of their customers. Scott writes content for all things marketing, from blogs and websites to brochures and feature articles. Born and raised at the Jersey Shore, Scott lives in Central New Jersey with his wife and two daughters. He loves playing with his daughters, the boardwalk, sarcasm and craft beer. He despises arrogance, synchronized swimming, Toddlers & Tiaras and onions. Questions?